Kaidan Nobori Ryu (Blind Woman’s Curse)

Meiko Kaji, the doyenne of 1970s exploitation pics, is at her glowering, slashing best in Teruo Ishii’s 1970 actioner as the leader of an Edo Period yakuza gang who must fight not only her opponents but also a curse. The film displays Ishii’s trademark brand of eroguro (eroticism and grotesquery), which made him one of the era’s most distinctive filmmakers. The British DVD and Blu-ray set released by Arrow features new subs, audio commentary by Jasper Sharpe and a booklet by Tom Mes.